Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God - whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did - when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:1-7

You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.

2 Timothy 1:1-2

We all have interesting stories about becoming Christian. We should be interested in how people came to trust Jesus as their personal Savior. Each person has a different story to tell, but they all testify that they learned the truth because of the efforts of someone in their lives.

Timothy became a believer through the influence of his grandmother Eunice. We had to receive the truth from someone, and at some time in the future, you will have the opportunity to provide that truth to someone else. It is an awesome responsibility. Think of yourself as a link in the living chain that extends from the time Jesus lived on earth to the present. We must keep that chain strong by telling others about Him so that the gospel will reach future generations.

The good news is meant to be shared.

Our Daily Bread - August 7, 2004